For decades, Phuc Khanh Patriarchal Pagoda has maintained its status as a major cultural and spiritual hub in Hanoi, holding deep influence within the flow of Vietnamese Buddhism. Revered for its sanctity, the ancient pagoda draws large numbers of monks, devotees, and visitors seeking peace and blessings.

Embodying the traditional architectural style of ancient pagodas in northern Vietnam, Phuc Khanh, located on Tay Son Street, Dong Da Ward, Hanoi, features a complete layout with Tam Quan gate, front hall, incense burning hall, and upper sanctuary. Its curved tiled roofs, moss-covered walls, ironwood columns, and intricate carvings evoke a timeless beauty.

The most striking feature is its rich collection of antiques, including many time-worn stone steles placed from the Tam Quan gate to the main worship halls. Records suggest the pagoda once housed around 21 stone steles, the oldest dating back to 1693. One notable stele in the courtyard of the Patriarch House, erected in 1940, contains an inscription recounting the pagoda’s history, praising the contributions of eminent monks and the devotion of laypeople in preserving its sacred role.

Among its treasures are dozens of historically and artistically valuable Buddha statues, such as the Cuu Long, Avalokiteshvara, Buddha presenting a flower, the Amitabha Trinity (Amitabha, Avalokiteshvara, and Mahasthamaprapta), the Three Worlds, Brahma, and Indra statues. Historical sources indicate many were crafted during the Tay Son era (18th century). The pagoda also safeguards a large bronze bell cast in 1796, ornate altar screens, bronze incense burners, imperial thrones, offering tables, and other sacred objects, all considered invaluable cultural assets for researchers of Vietnamese Buddhist history.

For years, Nguyen Thi Mit from Trung Liet Street has been among many devoted laywomen serving at Phuc Khanh, cleaning halls, polishing statues, lighting incense, cooking, gardening, and tending the grounds. She notes that the pagoda is among the few in Hanoi honored with the title "Patriarchal Pagoda," famous for major spiritual events such as peace and misfortune-warding ceremonies, Vu Lan filial piety festival, Buddha’s birthday, and memorial services - key expressions of Vietnamese cultural and spiritual life.

Every lunar January 6-14, the peace-praying ceremony attracts tens of thousands of attendees, once spilling into Tay Son Street but now contained within the pagoda grounds. Many visitors also request to place memorial photos of deceased loved ones or bring home incense burners to bless new houses.

With its role as a key Buddhist center, Phuc Khanh frequently hosts memorial services for national peace, honoring war martyrs, and commemorating the deceased during major national holidays, embodying the Buddhist ideal of “protecting the nation, bringing peace to the people.” It is also a haven for cultivating compassion and kindness. Locals like Ms. Huyen from Truong Chinh Street visit to pray for health, peace, and good fortune, often staying to meditate in the serene courtyard.

In 1988, the Ministry of Culture and Information recognized Phuc Khanh as a national historical and cultural relic. Its title “Patriarchal Pagoda” is attributed to its historic role as a Buddhist training center during the Later Le period, its succession of eminent abbots, and its Patriarch House enshrining generations of abbots and masters. Several stupas within the grounds honor those who founded, maintained, and developed the pagoda. These traditions embody the Vietnamese value of “remembering the source when drinking water.”

Scholars note that Phuc Khanh’s title reflects its historical status and enduring influence, especially in northern Vietnam. For many, it remains a sacred place worth visiting at least once to experience its tranquility and rich spiritual heritage.